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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29919303">Wrong Turn</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemonmangosorbet/pseuds/lemonmangosorbet'>lemonmangosorbet</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>And in the Darkness, We Find the Brightest Days [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hades (Video Game 2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, I guess this counts as angst sdghkjfd, Jealousy, M/M, Miscommunication, Pining, Possibly Unrequited Love, Unrequited Love, alternative title: Theseus is jealous 2 - the Electric Boogaloo (lmao)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 20:49:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,003</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29919303</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemonmangosorbet/pseuds/lemonmangosorbet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Theseus continues to struggle with his feelings of jealousy. He tries to confront them, but perhaps not in the best way.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Asterius | The Minotaur/Theseus (Hades Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>And in the Darkness, We Find the Brightest Days [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2209926</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>yes, 'impatient' is my middle name sdghkjf-</p>
<p>a week after my first fic, and I really wanted to post an update for this au, so here it is! in the grand scheme of things, this fic will be Part 3 in the Series it will belong to (yep, I'm still working on Part 2)</p>
<p><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29781591">I Heard a Rumour</a> will be Part 1, and this fic directly follows it. so if you haven't read it, I suggest you do :3c<br/>but if not, the gist is: Theseus found out Asterius slept with someone else, and he is consumed with jealousy.... this fic follows Theseus to see what he will do next 👀</p>
<p>as usual, to those of you reading: enjoy!!! ❤️</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Theseus had no one he could talk to about his problems. Normally, Asterius was the one he divulged all to. But he couldn’t exactly talk to Asterius about this issue when it concerned the Bull himself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There weren’t many other shades in Elysium Theseus could seek out for advice, or a shoulder to cry on while he poured out his woes. He thought of all his previous wives from his living days. If he searched them out now and told them his problems, they would probably laugh and revel in his emotional turmoil. The very thought made Theseus shudder.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There were his other lovers from his days on Earth, but his current predicament felt much too personal to share with them. And then there was Pirithous… even thinking about him made Theseus feel terrible. When he thought of the man, all he could remember was their last adventure together and how miserably it had ended. Even in death, Theseus had no inclination whatsoever to seek out Pirithious in the depths of Tartarus.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Theseus was left with no other option than to seek out advice from the ones who often looked upon him in life so favourably. He would pray to the gods and seek their guidance; well, one god in particular.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Despite being dead and already judged, the shades still paid tribute to the gods as they had done in life, so the underworld contained a multitude of altars to each of them. Theseus collected several of his finest bottles of ambrosia and set out to find one of the altars dedicated to Aphrodite.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As it was the case in Elysium and it’s ever-changing chambers, you would often reach the destination you desired. There were no other shades at the altar, and everything glowed with a faint pink hue.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Theseus poured out the bottles of ambrosia into a fountain in the centre of the chamber, and he made his prayer, hoping Aphrodite would hear it,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“My lady Aphrodite! Please accept this offering, and in return I beg of you to give me advice and aid!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The subtle pink hue of the room intensified and a melodic laughter filled the air.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“My, my, my! What an offering, King of Athens!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Theseus kneeled as a sign of respect to the goddess. With his head bent low too, he continued to speak,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Lady Aphrodite! Thank you for receiving my message and honouring me with your presence! I am troubled by matters of the heart.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He glanced up to see an apparition of Aphrodite in the room, rather than the goddess herself. She appeared much taller than any human, even taller than Asterius, and her presence brought a certain intensity to the room. It was almost suffocating.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, I am well aware that you have been troubled, my dear Champion. You believed your feelings to be the fault of my son Eros, but you have learnt recently that your feelings are more in my domain.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes.” Theseus replied, “I do not know what to do with these feelings and I have no other to turn to for help or advice.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I am honoured that you would choose to come to me!” Aphrodite laughed, “But I sense something else… I also know about Asterius and what he has been up to while you are not around.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Theseus’ heart sank when he heard the goddess’ words. She knew? Of course she knew!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re still thinking about it, aren’t you?” she continued, “You still spend your time wondering who has captured Asterius’ affections.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She wasn’t wrong, and it pained Theseus to be confronted by more unwanted truths. He raised his head and spoke to the goddess before him, scared to meet her powerful gaze,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes. Do you have any insight, my lady?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hmm, I’m not one to divulge such private information, but your offering has been extremely generous, so I’ll give you a hint. The person who captured Asterius’ affection is no ordinary shade, King of Athens. It was a god. A chthonic god.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“A god of the underworld?” Theseus questioned in surprise.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aphrodite smirked,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes! Perhaps now you know, it may settle some of the troubles in your heart.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And with that, the bright pink hues in the room vanished and faded back to the subtle ones, and the overwhelming presence of the goddess was gone.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Theseus breathed a sigh of relief, but he was still troubled.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His troubles were turning into frustrations, frustrations he wanted to take out on someone in particular. Who was this god that dared to seduce Asterius? Surely they did it for the thrill of saying they had bedded the Minotaur. Theseus needed to defend Asterius’ honour!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This is what Theseus told himself, to justify his anger. In reality, it was his jealousy and own self-loathing that was bubbling to the surface again. He was turning his frustrations with himself on to someone else he could easily blame.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Now he just needed to figure out which god had seduced his dear friend.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Theseus spent his time trying to list all the chthonic gods he could think of, and trying to decide which was most likely to have seduced dear Asterius. There were the Erinyes and Mother Night herself, however Theseus recalled the shades mentioning it was a man who had seduced Asterius, so he could cross the Furies and Nyx off his list. There was the boatman Charon, or death himself, Thanatos. And yet, with each god Theseus listed, he struggled to see any of them luring Asterius in that way.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His troubles had not gone unnoticed by his dear friend. Theseus observed how more and more often Asterius would quietly regard him and then would ask,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are you okay, my King?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Of course, Theseus always replied the same,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I am fine, dear Asterius!” and he would deflect the conversation on to something else.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But Asterius’ questioning only became more frequent the more Theseus was driven to distraction by his thoughts of a god seducing his friend.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>One day, Theseus felt closer to the truth. He knew that the fiend called Zagreus was actually a god, the son of Hades. However, Theseus had gone so long calling the young god a daemon and a blackguard, he refused to admit in the arena (or in private) that he knew this fact about Zagreus.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The idea that the Prince was the god that had bedded Asterius did not elude Theseus, but again, he struggled to picture it and shrugged it off. But one day, Asterius joined him in the antechamber to the arena after facing the fiend one-on-one.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The one called Zagreus will be here soon, my King. I just had to yield to him.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Theseus had his back to the door Asterius had entered through and was pulling on his gloves, getting ready for combat. He turned to look at Asterius, and froze when he saw the pink tinge in Asterius’ eyes and the pink aura he was giving off. He would recognise it anywhere; a blessing from Aphrodite.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“My King?” Asterius questioned, noticing Theseus’ sudden shock.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Asterius, why can I sense the presence of Lady Aphrodite?” Theseus’ voice was flat and serious; he had never taken this tone with Asterius before.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Asterius snorted and shifted on the spot he stood.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The short one has the blessing of the goddess. It must be the afterglow of his attack with her blessing that you can sense.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Theseus’ phantom heart thumped in his chest as his anger and adrenaline soared. His stomach twisted into uncomfortable, jealous knots. Asterius had never lied to him, and he had no reason to believe Asterius would ever lie to him. He had always spoken plainly to Theseus and been honest about the thoughts on his mind. However, so blinded by his rage and jealousy, Theseus doubted his friend at that moment.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>‘A boon from Aphrodite? A likely story!’</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She had probably given Asterius and Zagreus her blessing for their love-making! Even after his generous offering, the goddess would choose to make a fool of Theseus behind his back! Theseus was outraged, and yet, he couldn’t bring himself to voice his anger. Instead he seethed silently, continuing to get ready for battle, and knew he could take his anger out in the arena. In fact, he had a plan.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Theseus believes he knows the identity of the god that seduced Asterius. He devises a plan and enacts it in order to get his revenge.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Theseus had never felt more focused. Perhaps the only other time he’d put this much thought into a fight was that time in the labyrinth. It was much too easy for his anger to get the better of him, but that would lead to a sloppy technique. No, instead he poured his rage into concentration and thinking tactfully. He wanted revenge and to take out his frustrations on the fiend, but the arena wasn’t the place for it. He had another plan.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zagreus got the upper hand on Asterius, and Theseus watched as his friend was defeated and vanquished from the arena.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Blast!” Theseus shouted, more for the audience’s sake.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>With Asterius out of the way, it would be easier to execute his plan.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He had to persevere. No matter how many hits the daemon got in, Theseus had to hold out until he and the fiend were grasping at the very last of their strength. He could see it, the way the blackguard grew tired and weary, he wouldn’t be able to last much longer. Theseus knew he was reaching his limit too; he just needed to allow the daemon one more opening, and that would be it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He timed it perfectly; he recalled his spear with his back exposed, and at that moment, Zagreus took his chance, swinging his blade. As Theseus took the hit, he spun around and struck Zagreus with the sharp point of his spear. They both cried out in pain as their respective weapons hit their mark, and Theseus watched as the fiend was taken by the Styx, but he too felt it’s call and all went dark for a moment. Not much of a show for the loving fans in the arena, but Theseus was doing what needed to be done. He would have his revenge.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Theseus awoke in the pool of Styx in the House of Hades. He still wore his light armour, but his weapon and shield were gone. No matter, he could fight with his bare hands.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He ascended a few steps out of the pool and looked down the hallway, where he could hear voices. There was Asterius, listening to a conversation between Zagreus and another god that often frequented this hallway. Zagreus was lamenting his defeat, and the other two wished him better luck for next time. Theseus took note of how Hades and his hellhound were not present in their usual spots. They had both probably made their way to the Temple of Styx to meet the Prince, assuming he was about to get through Elysium. This was perfect; everything was going according to plan.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The small group that were present hadn’t noticed Theseus yet, and he was preparing to charge and attack the fiend. But he paused, as something unexpected caught his attention.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was only a small interaction, but enough for Theseus to make the connections. The other god there (his name eluded Theseus because he’d never bothered learning it) leaned into Asterius with a sense of familiarity. The way he closed the small gap between himself and Asterius by placing a hand on Asterius forearm as he spoke to him. The way Asterius did not flinch or act surprised by the touch. That’s when Theseus knew his anger had been misdirected at the Prince. This god was the one trying to steal Asterius away from him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>No more thought, time for action. Theseus charged down the hallway towards the god, shouting as he did so,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You blackguard! You fiend! I shall have you for what you’ve done!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It all happened in an instant. When Zagreus saw Theseus’ murderous stare aimed at the other god, rather than himself, he put himself in harm's way to protect this other god. Asterius’ eyes widened as he saw Theseus charge like a mad-man down the hall. He reacted quickly, holding his arms out to stop the tremendous force that was Theseus. There were shouts and yells from everyone involved, and even as Asterius held him back, Theseus reached out desperately, trying to get his hands on the god he knew had taken Asterius away from him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>All the commotion had not gone unnoticed in the House. Another shade with a spear appeared from just around the corner; his spear pointed towards Theseus. Theseus recognised the shade as the hero Achilles.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Stand down, or you shall have my spear and return to the pool of Styx.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Theseus said nothing to Achilles, instead he continued to reach out, trying to grab the god that Zagreus stood in front of to protect.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He had become a man unhinged. All the jealousy and unrequited feelings of love for his dearest friend had built up to this. Now it was an unrelenting anger that he directed towards the god he believed to steal his most precious Asterius away from him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Fight me god! Fight me for Asterius’ honour! I know it was you who soiled his reputation- the shades of Elysium all speak of how you seduced him!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The god Theseus directed his angry outburst towards actually blushed and spluttered out a few incoherent words. Zagreus and Achilles looked dumbfounded, and Theseus was glad he couldn’t see Asterius’ expression due to being held back by his strong arms.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Then, a darkness fell upon them. A strong wind blew through the corridor, causing Theseus to squint his eyes. If Asterius had not been holding him, he was sure he would have been blown away. The tall imposing presence of another god suddenly towered over them. A beautiful woman, with skin as pale as the moon and hair as dark as night. It was Mother Night herself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You dare enter the House of Hades and threaten Hypnos, the god of sleep?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her voice boomed, and Theseus felt fear unlike anything he’d felt before.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Begone from this House before you lose your place in Elysium, King of Athens. Begone before I banish you to the depths of Tartarus myself for daring to threaten my child.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The goddess terrified Theseus, and she had made it clear that he’d pushed his luck and outstayed his welcome. But despite this, he still struggled against Asterius’ grip. He couldn’t help it; it was all the adrenaline still coursing through his body.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Theseus!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It took Asterius shouting his name to snap Theseus out of the rage-filled trance he’d gotten himself into. He finally gave up struggling, and instead turned on his heels to return to the Styx, where conveniently, the boatman was already waiting for them with his skiff.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Theseus stomped down the corridor, not looking behind him. He had overreacted, made a fool of himself, and the damage was done. He knew Asterius followed him to the boat as he could hear the footfall behind him, but he made no move to look at his friend. He didn’t want to see the expression on Asterius’ face. Theseus knew if he did, the sight would break his heart.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>yet again, I'm sorry for being so impatient!!!</p>
<p>I really wanted to write and post my Asterius/Hypnos fic (I've been calling the ship Hypsterius) before posting this chapter and revealing that it was Hypnos that 'seduced' Asterius- but that fic is taking me longer to write than I first expected, and I've had this chapter ready for a while.... in the end I caved and decided to post this chapter because I didn't want to keep you guys waiting sdghkjfd</p>
<p>I hope you enjoyed the chaos of Theseus having a jealous tantrum in the House of Hades lmao :')</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Theseus and Asterius need to have a conversation about what happened in the House of Hades.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>....enjoy! :3c</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Theseus and Asterius made the journey back to Elysium in tense silence. The only noise was that of the water, lapping against the skiff as Charon took them back home.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Theseus’ head was full of thoughts and embarrassment at his own behaviour. It made him hang his head low in shame, unable to meet Asterius’ gaze. Asterius said nothing, and if anything, that made Theseus feel worse. He wanted Asterius to be angry at him; it’s what he believed he deserved.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t until they got back to the privacy of their shared living quarters that Theseus could not take it any longer.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Aren’t you going to say anything, Asterius?!” Theseus exclaimed, exasperated by the long silence between them that had lasted the whole journey home.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Asterius snorted; he made to remove the leather armour he wore over his chiton for battle, a usual ritual for him after their fights in the arena.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘How can he continue with his rituals as if nothing has happened?!’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Talk to me Bull! Do not ignore me!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I am not ignoring you, my King.” Asterius replied quickly, “I merely do not know what to say.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Anything! If you are angry at me, then take that anger out on me!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No.” Asterius’ response was short and sweet, and he never raised his voice. It was excruciating for Theseus; he felt like he deserved the argument, but Asterius would not give it to him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once Asterius had removed the majority of his battle armour, he turned to Theseus. They finally met, eye to eye.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“My King… Theseus… you know I am a private person. The only one I share most of my intimate thoughts with is you. However, there are things about me I have not shared with you, and I did not imagine it would bring you such great discomfort, not knowing them. I did not intend to keep secrets from you. I am sorry.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Sorry? Sorry?!’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Theseus felt as if he was about to lose his mind. He had embarrassed himself and Asterius in front of members of the House of Hades, and all Asterius could do was blame himself. It pushed Theseus over the edge he had been balancing on for a long time.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How can you be sorry when you’ve done nothing wrong? It is I who should be apologising to you, and yet, you hold no anger or resentment against me? I don’t understand how you could take the blame here when I am the one who acted as a mad fool!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I am forever in your debt, my King, as you saved me from my fate and brought me to Elysium.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No! You don’t owe me anything and have never owed me anything for that! Bringing you to the paradise of Elysium, I was repaying my debt to you, for ending your life early-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You delivered me from my suffering, and I was grateful for that-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You are infuriating Asterius!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Theseus’ chest heaved, his anger making him breathe more deeply than usual.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I do not understand your actions then, my King.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I- I-” Theseus was faltering.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was so much to say; where did he start? He took a deep breath before continuing,</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You do not have to thank me for anything I have ever done for you. Everything I have done, I have done it because I wanted to. If anything, you have repaid me with your company in the afterlife. I don’t think I could have survived here in Elysium without you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Their eye contact maintained, and Theseus could tell Asterius was confused by the way he tilted his head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I never told you, my dear Asterius, but in life I was obsessed with you after our first meeting. I never understood why, so I sought you out in death so we could be reunited and I could grow to understand why I thought of you so much. I realise now- well, I came to realise some time ago- that I care very deeply about you. No longer just a bond between friends… what I want is something more.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Theseus hung his head after the admission, but before he did, he noticed the way Asterius’ ears twitched at his words. With eyes on the floor, he continued,</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But, instead of telling you how I feel, I kept those feelings to myself, and I am a fool because of it. If you choose to be with another, I have no right to be jealous, because you were never mine to begin with.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>More silence, but this time, Theseus did not press Asterius for a response. When he eventually raised his gaze, Asterius was still standing on the other side of the chamber, looking at him. Theseus’ reflexes screamed at him to look away again, but he didn’t allow himself to do it. He needed to face his fears.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It took some time, but eventually Asterius had collected his thoughts, and now Theseus would listen patiently. It was the least he owed Asterius.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hypnos and I have not made any commitment to each other, if that is what you are wondering.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Theseus felt incredulous; this is the first thing Asterius chose to respond with?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, we did have… relations. However, he understands how I feel about you, and chose not to stand in the way of that.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Theseus went from incredulous to dumbfounded,</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How you feel about me?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“My King, I thought it was obvious. I also care about you deeply, but I didn’t think you would want that sort of relationship with me, due to our shared history.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Asterius…” Theseus breathed, unable to believe what he was hearing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I never thought you would return my feelings,” Asterius continued, “and I have had plenty of offers from other shades in Elysium. I didn’t think being with another would cause you so much distress.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“My dear friend, I am sorry! My distress only arose because of how much I care and… how much I want you to myself. But if I never expressed these feelings to you, how were you to know? I do not have the right to feel such jealousy, and yet, I have allowed it to simmer for too long. Can you forgive me?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Without hesitation, Asterius replied,</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course, my King.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No. You are too quick to forgive me.” Theseus shook his head, “You should be angry with me, resent me for making a fool of us in the House of Hades. Please, be angry with me Asterius! It’s what I deserve!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But my King… I don’t think I could bear to hold that resentment towards you. I-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Theseus cut him off before he could finish,</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No! We need time to think on this, Asterius!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Although Theseus said ‘we’, he really meant that <em>he</em> needed time to think.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I think… I think we need some time apart. To properly reflect on what has happened.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Asterius snorted. Theseus could tell that Asterius wanted to challenge his decision, but would not speak against his king. Finally, he replied,</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“If that is what you wish, then I will reflect.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Asterius turned and left the chamber, not to go into his own private quarters, but instead into one of the fields of Elysium. Theseus did return to his bedchambers, still wearing his armour from battle; he hadn’t even had the chance to bathe after the fight. He collapsed on his bed and sighed wearily. In his mind, everything was replaying.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He reflected on his stupidity at allowing himself to get so worked up over his jealousy. He got so worked up trying to find out who Asterius had been with, he even thought it was that damn daemon, Zagreus! But he continued to act like an absolute fool when he realised it was Hypnos that had seduced- no, Asterius had not been seduced. Asterius had been more than willing, and Theseus needed to accept that.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He also needed to accept that Asterius now knew about his feelings, and reciprocated them. Although, after all his stupidity, he would not blame Asterius if he didn’t want to take things further. Theseus buried his face in the sheets and wished to be swallowed up by his bed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was strange, to know the feeling was mutual and Asterius cared for him. How had he never noticed before? Perhaps he had convinced himself he was not worthy of Asterius’ adoration and chose to be blind to it. Or perhaps, he just thought that the way they acted around each other was how two as close as them were supposed to act.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘You stupid fool.’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Theseus chastised himself. He needed to take time and think about how he was going to resolve this, even if it meant that Asterius and him had to go their separate ways for the rest of eternity.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>"poor Theseus" I say as I rub my evil, little hands together and delight in his misfortune. I swear, I love him really sdghkjf- he's just one of those great characters that I also like to see suffer.... just a little bit :3c</p>
<p>my main twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/lemonmangoes">@lemonmangoes</a><br/>my nsfw twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/spicemangoes">@spicemangoes</a></p>
<p>kudos and comments always appreciated! ❤️</p></blockquote></div></div>
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